Workers in Sweden who are exposed to sexual
harassment at work are significantly more likely to
attempt or die by suicide, a study has found.
Researchers for global health-care information
provider BMJ looked at 85,205 employed men and
women between 1995 and 2013 and followed up over an
average period of 13 years to identify suicides or suicide
attempts from the subjects. A total of 4,095 participants
in the survey (4.8 per cent) reported being exposed to
workplace sexual harassment over the past 12 months —
7.5 per cent of women and 1.9 per cent of men.
Out of those exposed to harassment, 11 (0.3 per cent)
died by suicide and 61 (two per cent) attempted suicide,
higher rates than those who weren't exposed (0.1 per
cent and 1 per cent, respectively).
The study further adjusted for sociodemographic
factors such as sex, birth country, family type,
educational level and income, finding that the hazard
ratio of both completed suicide and suicide attempts
was significantly higher for workers exposed to sexual
harassment in the workplace.
Office jobs — such as an accountant or web developer
— pose the least danger to a worker's health while
positions related to public health are the most
hazardous, according to a survey.
The five jobs that are safest for a person's health
are: accountant, web developer, IT manager,
marketing manager and lawyer, found the survey
of 1,007 workers in the U.K. by vision care provider
Lenstore, which ranked their healthiness based on
the following categories: hazardous, risk of infection,
risk of injury, joints and muscular issues, posture,
How will workspaces be transformed?
not downsizing but will change
the type of space
will be downsizing
not expecting to make any
changes
OFFICE JOBS ADD UP TO BETTER HEALTH
Nearly half of Canadian business decision-
makers say it will be difficult to manage
office capacity if all employees return to
the workplace, a Nanos survey for Get
Working has found. The survey of 453
executives in companies with 50 or more
employees also found that most plan on
changing their physical workspaces.
HARASSMENT LINKED
TO SUICIDE RISK
sensory damage, fitness, sun damage and overall
health.
The five worst jobs for a person's health are:
emergency medical technician/paramedic, firefighter,
dentist, immigration and customs inspector and
flight attendant.
In addition, the survey found that one in 10 people
said they had taken time off work because of an
illness caused by their job — with stress, anxiety and
depression being the most common work-related
illnesses.
50%
22%
29%
WORKERS EXPOSED TO SEXUAL HARASSMENT
POST-PANDEMIC OFFICE CHANGES
2.82 times
greater risk of
dying by suicide
1.74 times
greater risk of
attempting suicide
when harassed
by clients or
customers rather
than superiors or
colleagues
1.59 times
greater risk
of attempting
suicide
www.hrreporter.com 15
